Below is some great feedback from Amy, who is currently in Christchurch, New Zealand doing her 12 month hospitality internship.

For my third year Portsmouth University placement, I wanted to do something a bit different and get out of England. I wanted to be in an English speaking country and somehow ended up thinking New Zealand could be the place. I enquired about placements at the end of last year and after what felt like a long wait, I got one year placement in a hotel in Christchurch. I have been here since July so am nearly half way through my placement now.

I started off in Housekeeping for a few weeks to ease me in and to get a feel to the hotel. I then moved on to the Food and Beverage department and have been doing breakfast and some dinner shifts. After a couple of months working at the hotel, I felt at home and very comfortable. All the staff made me feel so welcome which was so important to me.

When I first arrived here, I stayed in a hostel right in the centre of town. Although the hostel was a great way to meet lots of people and was so close to all the attractions and conveniences, it wasn’t the most practical and there was only so long I could live out of a suitcase for! I registered with a flat mate website and moved in with a lovely kiwi couple who have been really helpful to me and I intend to stay with them until my placement comes to an end!

I can say that this journey and experience has already exceeded my expectations and then some. New Zealand is a beautiful and amazing country and I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to work and live out here and learn more about the culture of New Zealand.

I was also lucky enough to have a visit from parents and we are going to be spending Christmas in Christchurch which will be a great experience. One of the trips I did was to Queenstown with my parents and I did the Canyon Swig which was great, you can see the picture of me being pushed off.

I’ve now caught the travel bug and have made plans to visit Australia for 7 weeks after I have finished my contract. It’s just a matter of saving up the money!

If you’re interested in a Hospitality Internship like Amy’s in Christchurch, Queenstown, Auckland, Wellington, Rotorua in New Zealand, check out the Hospitality Internships page for more information.